the blue blog archives: funky fiesta

Remember how I thought this phildar top was going to be so small that it would probably fit my boys? Luckily, I was able to remember way back to how I tend to overestimate my own size when I knit. Wouldn't you know it, the funky vest came out just right!

(Like my LoobyLou pose? She's the queen of tanks, so she ought to know how to show off a sleeveless top!) Here's a side view where you can see the solid lilac back.

This top was a great experiment. I wasn't excited about the little summer top anymore (it being fall and all). And I wanted to spice it up a little. So I picked up a couple skeins of variegated yarn that coordinated with the lilac and set about readjusting the numbers for the front, which has a totally different gauge. I picked up stitches on the back to add a ribbed edge and after completing the front I added one there as well with the yarn used on the back. It was tricky picking up stitches in the front using the finer gauge yarn. I ended up picking up all the stitiches I could and then in the first row adding about 25% more stitches evenly across the band. I did the same on the front of the armhole bands and neck edge. I think the final look is pretty neat. I like vests anyway and am thinking about experimenting with making a couple more. All I need are some more patterns to deconstruct. Tee hee.

Whew, that was some week of finishing! But I've still got the two big projects left to clear out of the knitting basket by mid-week next week. Can she do it?! If it means more opportunities for fiesta-ing, you bet! Join the party, everyone. Tell me what you're finishing. And if you finish something this weekend, be sure to bring it to next week's final finishing fiesta so we can celebrate together.

posted by alison at 12:32 am | in phildar filly

Comments

it looks great! and snazzy vests are all the rage (at least they were last year, it hasn't quite gotten chilly enough for me to see a lot of them yet this year... while I get frozen when it drops below 70, most people aren't as wacky as I am) ;)

Posted by: kim at October 9, 2003 11:50 PM

My head is spinning with all of this finishing you are doing! Great job. Melissa

Posted by: Melissa at October 10, 2003 5:34 AM

No wonder your hand hurts!!!! Very cool!

Posted by: Kerstin at October 10, 2003 6:11 AM

Oh no.. I'm going to have to change my standard pose now - you do it so much better than I do ;-)

Posted by: Linda at October 10, 2003 6:14 AM

You are the finishing queen! The tiara goes to you!

Posted by: Dava at October 10, 2003 6:51 AM

After all the knitting gymnastics you just did with that top, it turned out beautifully. One of these days, I'll be as daring as you (adjust here, adjust there, decrease here, no decrease there :)).

Posted by: Sharlyn at October 10, 2003 8:23 AM

WOW, that looks absolutely fantastic. want to come to Nashville and finish some of my projects? You could hang out at the knit store ... we would have so much fun :)

Posted by: Morgan at October 10, 2003 8:53 AM

I'm with you on the finishing (although I have a lot of projects I just started, too). I just finished fair isle mittens for my two-year-old son and I finished a pair of fuzzy feet for one of my twin girls. Now on to the second pair for my other daughter! Whew, I love finishing! Such a huge sense of accomplishment.

Posted by: Karen at October 10, 2003 10:05 AM

Oh, by the way, your poncho looks GREAT! Love those colors together. Never would have thought to put them together but they look so good.

Posted by: Karen at October 10, 2003 10:05 AM

Dava, do I have to wear the tiara at Knitsmiths on Sunday?

Morgan, that sounds like fun. Too bad you're so far away!

Karen, thanks for sharing your finished project. I've got to make some mittens for my boys. It got so chilly last week I almost bought some. Like you say, finishing something is very satisfying. Finishing up all these projects has made this a great knitting month, despite the minor hand pain.

Posted by: alison at October 10, 2003 12:31 PM

That looks GREAT on you! And quite the mathematical glutton for punshiment you are too! But I bet it looks way better with your "improvements" than what the original would have looked like!

Posted by: Kristine at October 10, 2003 1:09 PM

For your sideways scarves how many stitches do you normally cast on your needles? They look awesome, I just was curious if they were narrow (which seems to be the trend right now) or if they were nice thick n chunky. They look fab, and so does the vest!

Posted by: Jenn at October 10, 2003 4:17 PM

Love, love the vest. The colors are great! You do have a great eye for picking the fabby colors!

Changing a pattern! Acck! I'm way too scared to do that. One day, when I grow up, I will be brave and be the boss of my knitting!

Posted by: Carrie at October 11, 2003 12:38 AM

Oh, wow! Looks very snazzy, and shows your trim figure WONDERFULLY. (Very cute loobylou pose, too!)

Posted by: Becky at October 11, 2003 2:50 PM

Jenn, I cast on 120 stitches at about 3 st/in and did 40 rows of garter stitch. They ended up being about 44 in. long and 6 in. wide. But they were for kids, so I figured that was big enough. The yarn was bulky weight, but not really thick like Big Wool or Gusto. If you want something really chunky shoot for 2 st/in or less. That would be fabb-o!

Posted by: alison at October 11, 2003 3:26 PM